Halloween happenings in and around Folly Beach and Charleston county

It’s time for spooks and spirits and things that go bump in the night (probably looking for the last Snickers bar in the Treat bag)! Halloween began with the ancient Celts, who considered October 31 the last day of the year. On that night, they believed the spirits of the dead would roam the Earth. As a way to protect themselves during this spooky time, the living would hold a feast, visiting neighbors for contributions of food (hey, any excuse for a party).

We can thank the Irish for the jack-o-lantern, too. They used to carve turnips and place a small candle inside to keep evil spirits from their home on All Hallow’s Eve. When Irish immigrants came to America, they discovered pumpkins were much easier to carve.

Halloween has become second only to Christmas in spending. We’ll drop 2.5 billion this year – which is a lot of Milk Duds. But whether you go all out with a front-yard display that rivals Disney’s Haunted Mansion, or keep it simple with a single pumpkin in the window, remember to watch out for ghoulies and ghosties in your neighborhood!

Last-Minute Costume Ideas

Static Cling
Wear a solid color, like all white or all black. With safety pins, pin anything from socks, to underwear, even dryer sheets, all over yourself. For extra-“static,” use hairspray to put your hair on end.

Crash Test Dummy (Post-Crash)
Don a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt. Cover yourself with pieces of masking tape, bandages, fake blood – and a seatbelt made of webbing and an old buckle.

Skunk
Wear all black (a black leotard and tights is perfect) and put a white tape stripe down the back.

Halloween Safety Tips

· Welcome Trick-or-Treaters with porch lights and all exterior lights turned on.
· Set a time limit for your kids to "trick-or-treat" and designate a specific route for them to take. Also, feed the kids before they go so they’ll be less likely to scarf their treats before they get home (well, one can hope).
· Chocolate is poisonous to many animals, so keep candy away from pets.
· Keep pets in a separate room during trick-or-treat hours; people in strange garb can be scary.
· When driving, be extra-alert for excited kids, whose vision may be obscured by masks.

Haunted Houses

Hall of Harrors
1153 Walter Price
Cayce, SC 29063
803-409-9139
http://www.hallofhorrors.com/

House of Terror
125 Rocking Chair Lane
Spartanburg , SC 29307
864-529-0693
http://www.thehouseofterror.com/

Wompus Woods of the Darkest Fright
330 Parris Road
Cowpens , SC 29330
864-578-6175
http://www.wompuswoods.com/

Saluda Shoals Park
5605 Bush River Road
Columbia, SC 29212
803-772-1228
http://www.icrc.net/bloodmoon/

Nightmare Hollow
3911 Reidville Rd
Spartanburg , SC
869-809-8115
http://www.nightmarehollow.net/

Nightmare Haunted House
PO Box 108
Myrtle Beach , SC 29578
843-626-0022
http://www.beachscream.com/

Bulldog Tours
40 North Market St.
Charleston, SC 29401
843-722-8688
http://www.bulldogtours.com/

Gilbert's #1 House of Terror
739 Harley Taylor Road
Gilbert, SC 29054
803- 892-5396
http://www.gilberthouseofterror.com/

The Campground Massacre Haunted House
803-548-1148
http://www.themassacre.com/

Canonball Tours
843-697-1575
http://www.cannonballtours.com/

Halloween Night Event
1012 Hermosa Court Myrtle Beach, SC 29579
843-222-1926
http://www.myrtlebeachhauntedhouse.com/